Track-type vehicles are commonly used for moving earth or the like in road construction and other earth moving tasks. While these track machines have on occasion been used for agricultural purposes, they are not in common usage in most parts of the country. These track systems are typically metal tracks of a continuous type.
Agricultural tractors and other large agricultural implements, such as combines or the like, are quite heavy and because all this weight is distributed to a relatively small area on the tires of these vehicles, they cause a great deal of compaction of the earth. This is adverse to growing crops thereon, which typically needs loose soil. Furthermore, there are many times when fields are simply too wet for an ordinary agricultural tractor or agricultural implement, such as a combine, to enter the fields because they would merely become bogged down in the mud due to the fact that there is such a small area of the tire which is in contact with the ground. It is of course well known that the more the weight is distributed to a larger ground engaging structure the less likely it is to compact the earth or to get stuck in the mud. Consequently, there has been some development of track systems such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,919 to Langford.
One particular need is for a track system which can be used on agricultural equipment as it is currently being produced rather than to design an entirely new track system for an agricultural tractor, combine, etc.
Another need is for such a track system which provides a suspension which permits cushioning. Also, if such a conversion kit were to be placed on an agricultural tractor or the like, the advantage of having a large ground engaging portion thereon becomes a disadvantage when it is desired to turn the vehicle. Consequently there is a need to solve this particular problem.